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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · pass · date · wax · cue · race · present · mine

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. race — the arms race
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mine — for digging
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — a contest
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cue — for pool
  15. present — a gift
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. present — there
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com